Dollison. fort Butler. La

                                                                                    july 11^th 1863. on the Misisippa

                                                                                                half way from

                                                                                                port hudson to

New orleans with gen. wirtzel Brigade 6000 strong the Rebels have got A large army Betwix hear & Brasher he calculate to suround them & take all of them prisnors. wall I will comence good morning Eliza ann & Frank & Mary A Dealia & all of the Rest of the folks I feel puty well I have come out of port hudson safe & am 75 miles from thear now port hudson surrenderd on the 8. day of july & Banks march his army in to the fort on the ninth day of july it was A grate day I tell you of Rejoiceing the missippa is clear now for Boats to Run now / I am on the Banks of the missippa now writing to you we march to morrow morning to A tack the Rebel army we mite have some hard Battles in A fiew days I cant tell I hope I shall go through safe I stand it well so far I dont feel A fraid one Bit I have got so uste to it I dont cair one Bit A Bout forming A line of Batle to face the Rebels for A Battle the Balls dont now scear me now Eny. you will git all of the news in the papers Before you git this letter. Frank I want you should git harpers weekely from May the 15^th to august the 20^th Every one of them & ceap them for I wanter see / the plan of the Battles from that date weekely Be sure & git them I wanter see whear I was in those Batles at port hudson when I git home. I will send you the mony when I git my pay I Eaint got But twenty five cents left now & no tobacker to smoke I feel uneaza I tell you with out tobacker I think I shall Be whear I can git some in A fiew Days thear aint two pond in the whole Regement I think now. this is my last paper & Envelope & stamp I paid fifteen cents for this to write to you I in luck for more to write on I think we shall go in camp for the sumer soon / as we git through this march or Batle. it is A splendid place hear at donilson I tell you it is A puty stroung fort hear I tell you I wanter see you Frank vary mutch I can tell you more in one minett than I can write in one day I cant write Eny more deacnt letter till my mind is more steady than it is now. thear is to mutch Excitement going on now to write A letter now I will write when I git whear thear is some ink more deacent A letter. I hope your are all well & feel well as I do I think I shall come home safe yet this is 9 letters I have wrote to you cence june the first have you got them I hope so I Bid you all good By this time

 

                        A H                             Asa Holmes

 

[verso margin upside down] David Coughflin is all write yet

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